USPTO Patents Application 10727704

ITDE-PNV116

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What is Claimed:

1 1. A mega-boule for use in fabricating microchannel plates

2 (MCPs), the mega-boule comprising

3 a cross-sectional surface including an island section, an inner

4 perimeter section and an outer perimeter section, each section occupying a distinct

5 portion of the cross-sectional surface,

6 wherein the island section is formed of a first plurality of optical fibers,

7 transversely oriented to the cross-sectional surface, each optical fiber including a

8 cladding formed of non-etchable material and a core formed of etchable material,

9 the Inner perimeter section is formed of non-etchable material and is

10 disposed to surround the island section, and

11 the outer perimeter section is formed of a second plurality of optical

12 fibers, transversely oriented to the cross-sectional surface, each optical fiber

13 including a cladding formed of non-etchable material and a core formed of etchable

14 material, and the outer perimeter section is disposed to surround the island section

15 and the inner perimeter section.

1 2. The mega-boule of claim 1 further including

2

3

at least another section occupying a distinct portion of the cross-
sectional surface.

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wherein the other section is formed of non-etchable material, and is
separated from the inner perimeter section by the outer perimeter section.

3. The mega-boule of claim 2 wherein

the first and second plurality of optical fibers and the non-etchable
material of the inner perimeter section and the other section form a fused monolithic
stack, when heated and pressed.

4. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the echable material and the non-etchable material are glass, and

the non-etchable material includes a higher lead content than the
etchable material.

5. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the non-etchable material of the Inner perimeter section includes a
plurality of support rods transversely oriented to the cross-sectional surface.

6. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the non-etchable material of the inner perimeter section includes a
plurality of support rods transversely oriented to the cross-sectional surface, and

the first plurality of optical fibers of the island section and the plurality
of support rods of the inner perimeter section are configured for use as an MCP.

ITDE-PNV116

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7. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

an optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers of the island
section and an optical fiber of the second plurality of optical fibers of the outer
perimeter section are substantially similar in cross-section.

8. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the first plurality of optical fibers of the island section form transverse
microchannels for an MCP, when the island section is etched, and

the second plurality of optical fibers of the outer perimeter section
form perforated cleave planes, when the outer perimeter section is etched.

9. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the island section, the inner perimeter section and the outer perimeter
section have one of a rectangular configuration and a circular configuration.

10. The mega-boule of claim 1 wherein

the outer perimeter section and the Island section form an MCP, and

the outer perimeter section includes a sufficient cross-sectional width
for forming perforated cleave planes to break away the MCP from the mega-boule,
and

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for preventing the MCP die accidentally breaking away during
fabrication of the MCP.

11. A method of fabricating microchannel plates (MCPs) comprising

the steps of:

(a) providing bundles of optical fibers, wherein each optical fiber
includes a cladding formed of non-etchable material and a core formed of etchable
material;

(b) stacking a plurality of the bundles to form at least one island
section, defining a mini-boule;

(c) stacking non-etchable material to surround the mini-boule and
form an inner section that surrounds the mini-boule;

(d) stacking etchable material to surround the inner section and
form an outer section that surrounds the inner section;

(e) stacking additional non-etchable material to surround the outer
section and form an exterior section; and

(f) fusing the mini-boule, the inner section, the outer section and
the exterior section to form a mega-boule for use in fabricating the MCPs.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of:

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2 (g) dicing the mega-boule to form multiple mega-boule wafers,

3 each mega-boule wafer defining a batch die; and

4 (h) activating, and metallizing a mega-boule wafer for forming the

5 MCPs.

1 13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (h) includes

2 etching an outer section of the mega-boule wafer to form perforated

3 cleave planes, and breaking the perforated cleave planes to extract an MCP from the

4 mega-boule wafer.

1 14. The method of claim 12 wherein step (h) includes

2 etching the mega-boule wafer to form microchannels in the cores of

3 the optical fibers,

4 etching the outer sections of the mega-boule wafer to form perforated

5 cleave planes, and

^ breaking the perforated cleave planes to extract the MCPs from the

7 mega-boule wafer.

1 15. The method of claim 14 wherein etching the mega-boule wafer

2 to form the microchannels is performed before etching the outer sections of the

3 mega-boule wafer to form the perforated cleave planes.

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1 16. A method of fabricating microchannel plates (MCPs) comprising

2 the steps of:

3 (a) stacking etchable and non-etchable optical materials to form a

4 plurality of mini-boules, the mini-boules separated from each other and forming

5 separate islands along a cross-sectional surface;

6 (b) stacking non-etchable optical material to surround the plurality

7 of mini-boules and form a plurality of inner perimeter sections along the cross-

8 sectional surface, each surrounding a corresponding mini-boule;

9 (c) stacking etchable and non-etchable optical materials to

10 surround the plurality of inner perimeter sections and form a plurality of outer

11 perimeter sections along the cross-sectional surface, each surrounding a

12 corresponding inner perimeter section; and

*3 (d) fusing the stacked etchable and non-etchable optical materials

14 of steps (a)-(c) to form a mega-boule for use in fabricating the MCPs.

1 17. The method of claim 16 wherein step (c) includes

2

3

4

stacking additional non-etchable material to surround the plurality of
outer perimeter sections and form an exterior section along the cross-sectional
surface.

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1 18. The method of claim 16 wherein step (a) includes stacking

2 optical fibers, each optical fiber having a cladding formed of non-etchable material

3 and a core formed of etchable material.

1 19. The method of claim 16 wherein step (c) includes stacking

2 optical fibers, each optical fiber having a cladding formed of non-etchable material

3 and a core formed of etchable material,

1 20. The method of claim 19 including the step of:

2 (e) etching at least one outer perimeter section of the plurality of

3 outer perimeter sections to form perforated cleave planes in the one outer perimeter

4 section for breaking away an island and an inner perimeter section disposed within

5 the one outer perimeter section.